Hula luminary George Nā'ope, one of the kumu that inspired the establishment of the Hula Preservation Society. Photo: Liza Simon

By Liza Simon / Ka Wai Ola Loa

While continuing the core work of documenting oral histories of kumu, the Hula Preservation Society is expanding its mission through several community partnerships. At Hakipu'u Learning Center—a Hawaiian charter school in Kāne'ohe, O'ahu, the non-profit HPS has established a new program for instructing students in the ancient practices of hula: nose flute playing, Hawaiian puppetry, and papa hehi me ke kālā'au - treadle board and hand sticks.

"These ancient teachings exemplify the legacy of HPS' founders and cultural leaders, George Nā'ope and the late Nona Beamer," said HPS executive director Maile Loo-Ching.

HPS has also partnered with the Salvation Army's substance abuse treatment program for mothers by providing hula instruction, which Loo-Ching said is a healthy lifestyle alternative that can help with recovery from addiction. "Our kūpuna taught us to reach out into the community and share our knowledge and culture of the hula. At HPS we are following their model in forming new partnerships," she said.

HPS last March realized one of its outreach goals in creating a community-friendly gathering place by opening a studio and office in the Windward Business Center in Kāne'ohe. The large warehouse-like center, named Pulelehua — House of the Butterfly, in honor of Nona Beamer's Puna residence – makes rehearsal space available at low cost to local dance and cultural groups. Loo-Ching said HPS was able to set up operations and renovate Pulelehua with the help of community donations.

HPS was formed in 2000 as means of preserving life stories and artistic traditions of elder kumu hula, who comprise the last living link to many hula practices that were nearly lost during more than a century of suppression that lasted until the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s. Loo-Ching said the organization has now archived more than 1,000 hours of digitally recorded oral histories of 40 of hula's most venerated teachers.

In yet another new partnership, HPS has teamed up with the Hawai'i State Art Museum to showcase some of the video clips of kupuna masters of hula, including HPS guiding forces Nona Beamer and George Nā'ope, plus Kahili Cummings, Puluelo Park, Robert Kalani, and Queenie Dowsett. In all, 23 elders reflect on their personal experiences in hula and also contribute their mana'o to the exhibition's theme, which is an exploration of the influence of the revered 'Iolani Luahine, the hula pioneer widely credited for keeping cultural hula alive through its years of suppression. The HPS oral histories exhibit runs through next summer at HSAM's gallery located at 250 S. Hotel Street in Honolulu.